Car battery dies?

09EMDOG

MEMBER
1995 BUICK SKYLARK
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
88,000 MILES

I am laid off and I start my car 2-4 times a week. I recently replaced my battery and cables, and one morning I found it was dead. So I went to a part store after jumping it had both my alt and battery tested they checked out great. I only have one power outlet and thats the lighter and its empty. I make sure to turn everything off interior lights are out right away. I cant figure out why it still wants to die. The car will run off the alt its just if I park it for a day or 2 the battery will be dead. Im thinking about pulling the engine fuse and seeing if its a short. If that tests positive then pulling (ex radio fuse) instead of the engine.

5 Replies

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,761 POSTS

There is a procedure for finding a battery draw like that.

You will need a digital ammeter and a jumper wire with clips on the ends to do this.
First rig any door switches so you can have a door open without triggering the interior lights and unplug the hood light. Remove one battery cable and attach the meter in series between the battery cable and battery post. Take the jumper wire and also attach it the same way. Leave the jumper wire on for at least 10 minutes to expire all the automatic timers. Now remove the jumper wire and read the meter. Anything over 50ma is too much draw. The way you locate this is to start removing fuses one at a time until the meter drops to normal level. This will be the circuit with something staying on. Determine what components are part of that circuit and check them individually until the problem is isolated.

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Friday, November 25th, 2011 AT 8:18 PM

09EMDOG

MEMBER
35 POSTS

So I would take the battery cable off (pos)like photo. And I attach the jumper wire like that as well. What does the jumper wire do? So how much is 50ma? Equivilant to a light? Or

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Saturday, November 26th, 2011 AT 1:09 AM

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,761 POSTS

Yes, that is the way you would hook the meter up but in a more permanent way so you don't have to hold the probes. The jumper wire is temporary and bridges the same gap. It is used to bypass the meter while all the modules go to sleep because breaking the connection of the meter with start them all over again.

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Saturday, November 26th, 2011 AT 1:21 AM

09EMDOG

MEMBER
35 POSTS

Well I tested it and I got 250 ma and I pulled the alarm fuse and it went down to 3 something.(Was the first one that I pulled that got it to go down) now I have noticed that the clock on the radio doesnt shut off. So would this be the problem?

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Monday, November 28th, 2011 AT 6:18 PM

WRENCHTECH